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Diagnosing Headache and Migraine – A Dog’s Breakfast.

August 20, 2009 by dean · Leave a Comment 

Diagnosis, Like a Dog's Breakfast, Is All Over The Place

Diagnosis, Like a Dog's Breakfast, Is All Over The Place

Q. What do diagnosing headache and migraine and a dog’s breakfast have in common?

A. It’s all over the place!

This is expressed in a recent article by Sun-Edelstein et al 2008. Since the diagnostic classification was published, there have been many attempts to confirm or otherwise the accuracy of the criteria. Because of the multiple revisions since, there exists a great deal of controversy and significant confusion, with headache specialists unsure as to which criteria to use.

Many patients after having received an initial diagnosis, are given a second diagnosis, with some requiring 3-4 diagnoses!

This is clearly unsatisfactory …. and is the result of trying to prove an untruth. The various types of headache and migraine are not separate entities, they are on a continuum, developing from a common disorder.

Cheers

Dean

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About dean
Consultant Headache & Migraine Physiotherapist; International Teacher; Director, The Headache Clinic & Watson Headache Institute; PhD Candidate Murdoch University, Western Australia; Adjunct Lecturer, Masters Program, Physiotherapy School, University of South Australia; MAppSc(Res) GradDipAdvManipTher Experienced health practitioners trained in the Watson Headache Approach perform the examination and treatment techniques developed by Dean Watson. These techniques are based on his extensive experience of 7000 headache patients (21,000 hours) over 21 years and are now taught internationally. For your nearest practitioner who has completed training in the ‘Watson Headache Approach’ please refer to the ‘Practitioner Directory’.

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